Oxford’s May Morning – New Crowd Management System

Oxford City Council has implemented a new crowd management system at this year’s May morning celebrations to keep thousands of people safe following crowd safety issues at last year’s event.

May Morning sees thousands of people line Oxford’s High Street and Magdalen Bridge at 6am on May 1 to watch choristers sing from atop Magdalen College’s Great Tower.

The new crowd management system saw one-way channels created on Magdalen Bridge to enable the crowd to flow during and immediately after the event.

If capacity is reached on Magdalen Bridge, stewards and barriers will be used to stop any more people from accessing the bridge from the west and east. For the first time, bicycles – including those ridden and pushed –will not be allowed to cross Magdalen Bridge during the event.

Furthermore, designated viewing areas for wheelchair and mobility scooter users, families with young children and those with buggies will be also available for the first time.